The present invention is generally directed to processes for the reclamation, remanufacture, and reuse of waste or spent toner compositions. More specifically, the present invention relates to processes for the reclamation and remanufacture of used toner compositions comprising reformulating waste toner particles with new, unused or pristine toner compositions, and reuse of the resulting toner particles with, for example, carrier particles in two component xerographic developers.
Recycling or reclamation processes of xerographic developers and toner compositions, such as toner fines are known in the art. The prior art processes are generally directed to reclaiming and reusing waste toner particles within the confines of a printing machine, or alternatively, reclaiming and reusing waste toner particles arising from a toner manufacturing process within the confines of a toner manufacturing facility.
The present invention, in contrast, provides, in embodiments, processes for recycling or reclamation of waste toners comprising reclaiming waste toner particles, for example, from one or more printing machines in field use; co-locating the reclaimed waste toner, for example, in a recycling, reprocessing, or remanufacturing facility; screening the waste toner to remove debris; melt mixing the screened waste toner in admixture with pristine or fresh toner constituents or ingredients; and processing the resulting melt mixed product in a conventional fashion, for example, grinding and classifying, to provide remanufactured toner particles which contain reclaimed or waste toner, for example, in amounts of from about 1 to about 25 weight percent, and which remanufactured toner when installed in a printing or copying machine has xerographic performance properties which are substantially the same as those obtained from toner prepared entirely from fresh toner constituents.